What says warm nights more than a summer romance? Movies of course! (Cue "Grease" soundtrack.) And while your local cinema may be jam-packed over the next few months with action flicks and dude-fodder, the summer of 2012 also has your lady-interests covered.
From pregnancy guides come to life ("What to Expect When You're Expecting") to Meryl Streep marriage woes ("Hope Springs") to European sexual dramas starring "Twilight" actors ("Bel Ami"), this season has a wide variety of romance films for all ages.
Below, check out Moviefone's round up of romantic films and chick flicks we're most psyched for this season. Summer days driftin' away, to uh-oh those summer nights...
1. "Girl In Progress"
Release Date: May 11
Who's In It: Eva Mendes, Matthew Modine, Cierra Ramirez, Patricia Arquette, Raini Rodriguez, Eugenio Derbez
What It's About: A single mother (Mendes) struggles to parent her teenage daughter (Rodriguez) and realizes that she has a lot of her own growing up to do.
Why We're Excited: We're interested to see how Mendes fairs as the current Jennifer Lopez. (You know if this film were set in the early 2000s, it would have been all JLo.)
2. "Hick"
Release Date: May 11
Who's In It: Chloe Grace Moretz, Blake Lively, Eddie Redmayne, Juliette Lewis, Alec Baldwin
What It's About: A Nebraskan girl sets out for the bright lights of Las Vegas only to (surprise!) get mixed up with the wrong crowd.
Why We're Excited: Moretz holding a gun; Lively's southern accent; Alec Baldwin.
3. "What To Expect When You're Expecting"
Release Date: May 18
Who's In It: Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Chace Crawford, Brooklyn Decker, Anna Kendrick, Matthew Morrison, Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock, Rodrigo Santoro, Ben Falcone, Joe Manganiello, Thomas Lennon
What It's About: Based on the popular self-help bible, "WTEWYE" (that acronym will catch on!) weaves the pregnancies of five couples into one baby-tastic film. It's like "Love Actually," but with babies!
Why We're Excited: Pregnancies are funny gold-mine material ("Knocked Up," "Baby Mama"). Mix that in with a king's ransom of celebrities, and you can't lose!
4. "Bel Ami"
Release Date: June 8
Who's In It: Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christina Ricci
What It's About: Based on Guy de Maupassant's famous novel, RPatz sleeps his way to the top via the ladies of the French bourgeois. Think "American Gigolo," but set in Paris.
Why We're Excited: See above.
5. "Take This Waltz"
Release Date: June 29
Who's In It: Seth Rogen, Michelle Williams, Sarah Silverman, Luke Kirby, Aaron Abrams, Jennifer Podemiski, Vanessa Coelho
What It's About: A married woman (Williams) is thrown into a tailspin when she falls for her next-door neighbor (Kirby).
Why We're Excited: The chance to see Rogen and Williams in on-screen matrimony is enough to make our indie hearts pop. And who doesn't love a stud-ly rickshaw driver?
6. "People Like Us"
Release Date: June 29
Who's In It: Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Michael Hall D'Addario, Philip Baker Hall, Mark Duplass, Michelle Pfeiffer
What It's About: A son (Pine) is tasked with the responsibility of taking his deceased dad's fortune to his long-lost sister (Banks).
Why We're Excited: Written by sci-fi scribe Alex Kurtzman ("Star Trek," "Cowboys and Aliens") the film unites two franchise-leading stars. Effie Trinket and James Kirk, together at last! (In a sibling sort of way.)
7. "Trishna"
Release Date: July 13
Who's In It: Freida Pinto, Riz Ahmed
What It's About: Set in modern-day Rajasthan, "Trishna" narrates the implausible love between a young girl (Pinto) and her wealthy boss (Ahmed).
Why We're Excited: Based on Thomas Hardy's famous work "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," the film has been racking up honors at the Toronto and London film festivals.
8. "Celeste and Jesse Forever"
Release Date: August 3
Who's In It: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Chris Messina, Ari Graynor, Will McCormack, Emma Roberts, Elijah Wood
What It's About: A divorcing couple endeavors to maintain their friendship while exploring the dating world.
Why We're Excited: Beyond the fact that it's written by "Parks and Recreation" funnygirl (Jones) and Will McCarthy, "Celeste and Jesse Forever" unites all your favorite celebs in a progressive love story. What more could you want?
9. "Hope Springs"
Release Date: August 10
Who's In It: Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell
What It's About: After their 30-year marriage has gone stale, Kay and Arnold Soames (Streep and Jones) go on a weekend couple's retreat to save their relationship.
Why We're Excited: In this order: Steve Carell is a marriage counselor; look how Meryl is eying those bananas.
10. "2 Days In New York"
Release Date: August 10
Who's In It: Julie Delpy, Chris Rock, Albert Delpy, Alexia Landeau, Alex Nahon
What It's About: The stateside sequel to 2007's "2 Days In Paris" finds Marion (Delpy) no longer with Jack (Adam Goldberg) and trying to close the cultural gap between her new beau (Rock) and her famille. Encore!
Why We're Excited: It took a little getting used to the fact that Jack are Marion are (sniff) fini, but we can't help but be curious at the comedic/romantic pairing of Rock and Delpy.
11. "Sparkle"
Release Date: August 17
Who's In It: Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Derek Luke, Mike Epps, Carmen Ejogo, Tika Sumpter, Omari Hardwick, Cee-Lo Green
What It's About: A story of a 1960s family whose sudden success as a Motown group begins to wreak havoc in their home.
Why We're Excited: Beyond a compelling story and a host of ballad-crushing celebs, "Sparkle" is also Houston's on-screen finale.
